Biology

Gallade is a white, bipedal Pokémon. Its lower body consists of rounded hips with strong legs. It has a thin green torso with sharp, red horns sticking out of its chest and back. Its arms are shaped like tonfas with extendable blades in its elbows. It will use its arms like swords in order to protect someone. Its head resembles a gladiator's helmet with a white face and a teal head crest. It has spikes on the sides of its face. It is a master of courtesy and swordsmanship that is capable of predicting its foe’s moves.

As Mega Gallade, red plates emerge on its arms, and the helmet and cape-like protrusions on its head and back give it a knightly appearance. When the situation demands, Mega Gallade can use its psychic power to reshape both arms into blades simultaneously, and fight using a dual-wielding style. Its upper body becomes white, and the spikes on its head elongate.

In the manga

In the Pokémon Adventures manga

Sapphire owns a Gallade named Kiruru after it evolved from Kirlia accidentally by using a Dawn Stone on contact after she kicked it towards him to her dismay, as she was aiming for him to evolve into a Gardevoir.

In the Phantom Thief Pokémon 7 manga

Hiori's Gallade debuted in A Fated Reunion where he used him to unmask a thief.

Origin

The single fin on Gallade's head resembles the helmet worn by murmillo-class Roman gladiators, or the Corinthian helmet with a horsehair crest worn by Greek hoplites. It may also be based on medieval knights. Additionally, its battle stances in various media resemble the en garde position and parries of modern fencing.

Name origin

Erureido may be a combination of earl (in antiquity, a chieftain or military leader; in present day, a rank in the British nobility) or elbow and blade, referring to the sword-like appendages on its arms. It may also derive from ballad (a type of French poetry), in accordance with the musical origin of Ralts and the French Gardevoir.